Farmington man to fight lewdness charge in sunbathing case

A 76-year-old man who police say was sunbathing nude in his backyard next to a church parking lot in Utah has pleaded not guilty to lewdness charges.

FARMINGTON — A 76-year-old man who police say was sunbathing nude in his backyard next to a church parking lot has pleaded not guilty to lewdness charges.

Myron Lee Kipp was in a Farmington court Tuesday, the Standard-Examiner reported. Kipp pleaded not guilty to four counts of lewdness involving a child, a class A misdemeanor, and three counts of lewdness, a class B misdemeanor.

Court documents show a police officer called to Kipp's house by neighbors on March 5 could see the man from the church parking lot. The backyard fence is chain link with no privacy slats.

When confronted, a completely nude Kipp told the officer it was his property and he could do what he wanted, a police affidavit states.

Several parents said they and their children could see the man from the parking lot.